The Winnipeg General Strike

THE WINNIPEG GENERAL STRIKE: SIMULATION ACTIVITY

TOPIC: Winnipeg General Strike class simulation activity.

CURRICULUM EXPECTATIONS: CH1.02 – evaluate the role of the labour movement (e.g., One Big Union, Canadian Labour Congress) in Canadian society; SP2.01 – identify and describe the early twentieth-century pressure groups (e.g., Woman’s Christian Temperance Union, veterans’ and various ethnocultural associations) that were established to promote social support programs; MI4.03 – express ideas and arguments in a coherent manner during discussions and debates, or in graphic displays; MI4.04 – demonstrate, after participating in dramatizations of historical events, insights into historical figures’ situations and decisions.

SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS: a) Attitudes: The students will… develop an appreciation of: the expectations and demands of the various working class groups (veterans, unemployed, immigrants, factory workers) that participated in the Winnipeg General Strike; the perspective and roles of the various actors (trades people, municipal and federal governments, union organizers, the unemployed, veterans, factory owners, the police) involved in the Winnipeg General Strike; the process and complexity of negotiating alliances; the powerlessness experienced by early labour organizers in the face of a government- business alliance against them.

b) Skills: The students will… gather and analyze evidence obtained from a variety of sources (text book, lecture notes, video) to form conclusions, arguments, and negotiation strategies; develop their proficiency in persuasion, debate, and negotiation by participating in a simulation of strike negotiations.

c) Knowledge: The students will gain a thorough knowledge of: the demands and goals of the opposing sides in the strike (increase in wages, jobs, centralized bargaining, union recognition vs. fear of a communist revolution, loss of revenue and control); the membership of the system of alliances which sprang up around the opposing sides of the strike.

RESOURCES: “Winnipeg General Strike” simulation outline and transparency, group role assignment cards, list of pre-arranged groups, seating location signs, group evaluation forms 2

INTRODUCTORY ACTIVITY: (8:32-8:40) Ask the students if they are aware of any current or recent strikes (NHL, Navistar, teachers, Hollywood writers). Briefly discuss the circumstances surrounding the recent NHL strike. What is the purpose of a strike? (to force an agreement)

DEVELOPMENTAL STRATEGIES: 1) Divide class into pre-assigned groups. Allow the students to find their group and seat location. Describe the various roles within the group and instruct each group to appoint a leader, negotiator, and recorder.

2) Hand out one role assignment card to each group. Explain that for the rest of the class, they are to take on the identity of their assigned role. Allow the groups five minutes to form a clearer idea of their identity, allies, goals, and status. Each group must formulate a sales pitch that the negotiator can use to sell an alliance to other groups.

3) Use an overhead transparency to carefully read through the simulation instructions with the class. Leave the overhead on for the duration of the simulation so that groups may reference it as needed. Instruct the class that the negotiation will last exactly twenty minutes. Check for questions or confusion. Stress that participation is being evaluated!

4) Negotiations. Allow the group negotiators to begin approaching the other groups to build alliances based on their common interests. As per the instructions, each alliance is to be recorded, along with a brief justification.

5) Conclude negotiations and reconvene the class. Make a chart on the chalk board and list the various alliances the groups made, along with the totaled power points (if executed properly, the groups should have formed two opposing sides, the workers and the owners). Declare a winning side, either the strike was crushed or the workers overwhelmed the owners. Follow up by discussing the justifications of each alliance.

CONCLUDING ACTIVITY: 1) What was the result? Compare the class’s simulation results to what happened at the Winnipeg General Strike (Did a business/government coalition form and crush the workers movement as at Winnipeg? Or did labour manage to negotiate their way into a position of strength and impose their demands?)

2) Have students return to their original seats. Hand out group evaluation forms and have students complete and return them. 3

METHOD OF EVALUATION: Group evaluations. Keep a checklist of participation and on task behaviour. 4

Name:______

Group Performance Rating Scale

0 = Major Difficulty, 1 = Needs Improvement, 2 = Okay, 3 = Very Good, 4 = Excellent

1. All members participated in the group activities.

0 1 2 3 4

2. Members listened to others in the group.

0 1 2 3 4

3. Members helped and encouraged others in the group.

0 1 2 3 4

4. Group members stayed on the task assigned.

0 1 2 3 4

5. Group members worked well together.

0 1 2 3 4

6. Group members practiced the cooperative skills.

0 1 2 3 4

Add all circled numbers for Total Score ______(out of 24)

A. What I really liked about our group

B. Ideas for improvement

Simulation Group Members

1/ Metal Workers Union:

2/ Building and Trades Union:

3/ Industry Owners:

4/ Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council:

5/ Citizens Committee of One Thousand:

6/ Winnipeg City Government:

7/ Federal Government:

8/ Non-union Workers, Vets, and Unemployed: 6

Student Instruction Sheet

1/ Choose a group leader, negotiator, and recorder.

2/ Read your activity card carefully. Be sure to understand your status and goals.

3/ Review your class notes from yesterday to provide further clues about your identity. Help the group leader to come up with a sales pitch to convince other groups to ally with yours.

4/ Send the leader out to negotiate with other groups. The remaining members will listen to offers from the other groups and vote whether or not to make an alliance. Record all alliances.

5/ Keep in mind the goals and identity of your group. Don’t make alliances that would compromise your beliefs.

6/ The allies with the largest point total win the game.

Groups

Metal Workers Union: 200 points

Building and Trades Union: 200 points

Industry Owners: 800 points

Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council: 1000 points

Citizens Committee of One Thousand: 800 points

Winnipeg City Government: 500 points

Federal Government: 1500 points

Non-union Workers, Vets, and Unemployed: 400 points 7

Metal Workers Union

 You want owners to recognize your union and negotiate with you.  During the past four years, prices of everyday goods have risen while wages have stayed the same.  Presently, you make $900/ year while the minimum financial requirement of an average family is $1500/ year.  It seems that your only option is to go on strike in order to force the owners to negotiate.

Goals: - gain support for your strike

- force the owners to pay you a living wage

- get better working conditions

- prevent the owners from replacing you with scab labour

Points: 200

Building and Trades Union

 While the owners have recognized your union, they still refuse to negotiate with you.  During the past four years, prices of everyday goods have risen while wages have stayed the same.  Presently, you make $900/ year while the minimum financial requirement of an average family is $1500/ year.  It seems that your only option is to go on strike in order to force the owners to negotiate.

Goals: - gain support for your strike

- force the owners to pay you a living wage

- get better working conditions

- prevent the owners from replacing you with scab labour

Points: 200 8

Industry Owners

 You wish to maintain your control over the working classes.  Negotiating with the unions will result in a loss of power and a great deal of money.

Goals: - gain support for your cause

- keep your factories running any way you can (i.e. scab workers, strike breakers)

Hidden agenda: Crush the unions!

Points: 800

Winnipeg Trades and Labour Council

 You are an umbrella support organization for the labour force and unions.  You have the support of most unions, including the police, firemen, and trolley car drivers.  Because of this support, you have the power to call a GENERAL STRIKE to try and force the owners to negotiate and the government to get involved.

Goals: - convince all labour groups to join together into one force

- lobby the government to support the workers instead of the owners

Points: 1000 9

Citizens Committee of One Thousand

 You are a group of prominent and powerful business owners  You want to attract more industries and investment to Winnipeg so that the value of your investments will increase.  A strong union force tends to scare away new industry.

Goals: - make deals with whoever can help you crush the unions and force the workers back to work

- convince the government to support you instead of the workers

Points: 800

Winnipeg City Government

 You wish to attract more people and business to your city in hopes of improving its financial status.  A strike may scare both away.  While your fear the unions may be dangerous for your city, you also realize that there are a great deal of voters in those unions.

Goals: - economic and population growth for the city

- re-election

- maintaining order

Points: 500 10

Federal Government

 You feel an obligation to the employers as many of them are your friends who have financially supported your election campaigns.  You are worried that a strong, unified labour force may challenge your power.  However, you realize that the working class is becoming an important source of votes.  You have the power to crush the strike by calling in the Royal North West Mounted Police or forming a militia.

Goals: - re-election

- satisfy friends without alienating voters

Points: 1500

Non-Union and Unemployed Workers, and Veterans

 You desperately need a job and money to support your family.  Remember that taking a job would mean crossing the picket line and offending the unions.  You may also be taking a friend’s job.  There is no unemployment insurance or welfare at this time.

Goals: - find a job

Points: 400 11

Rationale

Simulation activities are valuable assessment tools because they provide opportunity for students of history to discover, analyze, and evaluate historical issues from the perspective of those involved. This type of activity is consistent with the philosophy of teaching history as story. This teaching method gladly removes historical actors and events from the unreachable intellectual shelf on which they are most often perched and places them within easy reach and understanding of high school aged students.

This particular simulation is situated at the beginning of the unit because it serves to introduce a number of challenging and sequentially integral concepts, including unionism, Communism, and social security. Furthermore, it is designed to develop skills in the areas of negotiation and bargaining, as well as to encourage group cooperation through debate, as a common identity, position, and strategy are formulated.